HR Help Desk

Coronavirus FAQ’s

By Cath Grawe, HR Central Communications Officer

At the time of printing this article, the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) had been declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organisation, with over 100 confirmed cases in Australia. This has caused panic for many and that has invariably spread into the workforce. Understandably many of our clients have concerns or uncertainty around employee management during this time, and as a result this document is based on the questions that have been asked to us and that may be relevant to you and your business.

If you have a question that is not addressed in this article or the secondary article ‘Safeguarding Your Workplace from Coronavirus’, please do not hesitate to get in touch with HR Central at any time.

What are the symptoms of Coronavirus?

The main symptoms include (but are not limited to): l Fever l Flu-like symptoms such as coughing, sore throat and fatigue l Shortness of breath

However, it is important to be aware that some people may have the virus but display no symptoms.

What if one of my employees has cold and flu symptoms?

Ensure that your employee does not attend the workplace. Your employee should be directed to seek medical advice immediately.

Any employee who takes time off on sick leave should obtain a medical certificate clearing them to return to work.

What if one of my employees has recently returned from overseas, or has been in contact with someone who has Coronavirus?

At this stage the outbreak of the Coronavirus is most prevalent in the following countries: l Mainland China l Iran l Italy l Republic of Korea (South Korea) l Cambodia l Hong Kong l Indonesia l Japan l Singapore l Thailand

If an employee has returned to Australia from any of these countries, or has been in contact with someone who has the virus, they should not return to work until they have sought a medical certificate clearing them to return to work. This may mean that they will need to self isolate / quarantine for a period of time.

What if one of my employees needs to self isolate/quarantine?

If the employee has been advised to self-isolate/quarantine by a medical authority, but is not presenting with any symptoms (i.e. they are not sick), the employee must continue to be paid as normal. Discuss with your employee the possibility of working from home. If this is not an option your employee may agree to treat the absence as annual leave or long service leave.

If your employee has contracted the virus or is required to care for a family or household member who has contracted the virus, they should be entitled to take personal leave for any absence from work. It is advisable that the employee provide you with a medical certificate clearing them to return to work.

If your business is doing it tough l Ask your employees if they would consider cutting back their working hours temporarily. l Ask your employees if they would like to take some of their annual leave l Cut back on casual staff. l Speak to your financial institution about support.

It is also highly recommended that companies stop or limit work related international travel. If international travel cannot be avoided, ensure that the employees are briefed by a qualified medical practitioner and check the travel advice from the Australian Government/Country Authority of which they are travelling to.

Direct your employees to declare any upcoming travel.

What about casual employees?

Casual employees are not entitled to sick leave. If a casual employee has been diagnosed with Coronavirus and has returned from travelling from an at-risk country, or has been exposed to someone with the virus, you are not required to offer any additional payment. However they should also adhere to the above self-isolation/ quarantine should they be at risk or have the Coronavirus, and they too should only return to your workplace once they have obtained a medical certificate clearing them fit to return.

Safeguarding your workplace against Coronavirus

All employers should be taking precautions to manage their business’ and employees’ exposure to health and safety risks arising from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

In safeguarding your workplace from the Coronavirus (COVID-19), HR Central recommends: l Encouraging all employees to wash their hands regularly, in particular if they have travelled on public transport or have been in contact with members of the public. It has been reported that handwashing